Siverling



March 31, 1964 sw RL 7 3,127,173

AMUSEMENT DEVICE WITH GUN AND APERTURED TARGET Filed Dec. 14, 1959 INVENTOR.

DaNA D 8/ VEKL 1M6 BY United States Patent 3,127,173 AMUSEIVENT DEVICE WITH GUN AND APERTURED TARGET Donald Siverling, 407 Connecticut Drive, Erie, Pa. Filed Dec. 14, 1959, Ser- No. 859,377 7 Claims. (61. 273-101) This invention relates to games and, more particularly, to outdoor games in the class of shuffieboard, miniature golf, and the like.

Miniature golf, shufiieboard, and games of this type often lack variety and the interest they generate is limited. It is believed that if the various elements of the games were varied and supplemented, it would increase the interest engendered by the games.

In the present game, a variety of colors defining various holes distinguishes penalty targets from scoring tar-gets. Since the several targets are each of a different color, the succeeding steps of the game are determined by the particular color of a target on which the ball lands.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved game which can be played indoors or outdoors.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved game and structure for carrying it out.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved game.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game structure having a variety of related different phases to the game.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a game which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an isometric vie-w of a game device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial view of a part of the device; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the damper.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, a gaming device is shown having a structure 11 and a roof 12. The roof 12 is supported by a frame '42 which supports covering material 43. The structure 11 is braced by toggles 44.

A playing area '13 is provided at the left and an area 14 at the right with a storage area 15 therebetween defining a compartment which may be closed by a door 16. Various items of equipment can be stored in the internal storage area 15.

The area 13 has an inwardly and upwardly inclined playing surface 17 with scoring holes 18, 19, 20, and 21 therein. The holes 18, .19, 2t and 21 communicate through branch tubes to a tube 133 and thence through a tube 1% to either a red cup 23 or a green cup 23a. The tube 19a is bifurcated at 19 so that whether a ball 34a lands in the cup 23 or 23a is purely chance. A ball lodging in the hole 18 will roll through the hole 13 and through the branched tube 19a to the area 14 and thence may repose on the concave top of the surface of one of the cups 23 or 23a.

If a ball chances to land on the red cup 23, the player will deposit the ball on a. red corner area 2312 and play for a red hole 30. 1f the ball rests on the cup 23a the player 3,127,173 Patented Mar. 31, 1964 will deposit it on a corner area 230 and play for a green hole 29. Other holes than the predetermined holes will count as penalties.

The area E14 has a flat surface 24 with a fence 25 therearound which extends slightly above the supporting surface 24. Various holes 27, 28, 29, 30, 31' and 31 are provided in the surface 24.

A gun 32 has a barrel 34 which is open at the muzzle end and will receive a ball which may be approximately the size of an ordinary golf ball. The gun barrel 34 is supported on a joint 35 which allows the player to move the gun 32 both in elevation and in azimuth. The gun 32 has a spring type plunger 37 urged forward by a spring 38 so that when the operator pulls back on the plunger 37, the ball may be inserted therein and when the plunger 37 is suddenly released, the ball will be projected through a trajectory towards the surface 17.

When a ball from the gun 32 lodges in a hole 19, for example, it will roll through the tube 133. If the damper 33a is in the position shown in FIG. 2, the ball will roll from tube 133 through the tube 33 and thence onto the surface 24 and may rest thereon as aforesaid or roll into one of the holes 27, 2 8, 29, 30, 31, or 3. 1. The holes 27, 28, '29, '30, 3d and 31 are like cups on a miniature golf course. if the damper 33a is swung to the other position by means of the handle 3 31), the ball will roll through the tube 19a into one of the cups 23 or 23a.

If the ball has come to rest on the surface 24, the player can then use an ordinary golf putter to play the ball into one of the holes 27 to 31. Each of the holes 27 to 31 are painted a diiferent color so that a player plays for a preassigned color, and is penalized if his ball falls in a hole having any different color.

When the ball is projected by the gun 32, it may strike the surface 1'7 or it may lodge in one of the holes 18, 19, 2%), or 21 therein. If it strikes the surface 17, it will roll down to the front to a repository area '40. If it strikes one of the holes 18 to 21, and passes through either the tube 19a or tube 33, it will be deposited as aforesaid, depending on the setting of the damper 33a. Damper 33a is an adjustable baffle which can be set to selectively direct oalls either into the tube 33 or the tube 19a. The damper 3311 may be controlled by any suitable means such as, for example, handle 33b.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A game comprising a generally rectangular base, a first generally flat area on said base disposed in a horizontal plane, an inclined playing area joining said first fiat area and supported on said base connected to an edge of said first fiat area and extending upwardly and away from said first area, a second generally flat area on said base, said inclined area being between said first and second areas, a partition between said inclined area and said second area, holes in said inclined area, and holes in said second area spaced from each other providing space therebetween for balls to be played thereupon, and means communicating with said first mentioned holes and to said second area adapted to conduct balls from said inclined area to said second area.

2. The game recited in claim 1 wherein said game has a roof thereon.

3. The game recited in claim 1 wherein said communicating means comprises a tubular member connecting said holes in said inclined area to said second area.

4. The game recited in claim 3 wherein a gun is provided for projecting a ball toward said inclined playing area.

5. A game comprising a generally rectangular base, a

first generally fiat area on said base disposed in a horizontal plane, an inclined playing area joining said first flat area and supported on said base connected to an edge of said first flat :area and extending upwardly and away from said first area, a second generally flat area on said base, said inclined area being between said first and second areas, a partition between said inclined area and said second area, holes in said inclined area, means communicating with said holes and to said second area adapted to conduct balls from said inclined area to said second area, and a repository area at the side of said game, said repository area having a plurality of repositories therein, said holes in said inclined area being connected to said repository area whereby a ball lodging in one of said holes in said inclined area may be conveyed to said repository area.

6. The game recited in claim 5 wherein a spring gun 4 is provided for projecting a ball toward said inclined area.

7. The game recited in claim 5 wherein a storage compartment having an access door thereto is provided between said first area andv said second area, said communicating means extending through said storage compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,012,820 Cory Dec. 26, 1911 1,576,140 Schneider Mar. 9, 1926 1,820,515 Weinberg Aug. 2 5, 1931 1,923, 52 Kohn Aug. 22, 1933 2,195,634 Shelley Apr. 2, 1940 2,379,663 Smith July 3, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 316,432 Switzerland Oct. 15, 1956 

1. A GAME COMPRISING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR BASE, A FIRST GENERALLY FLAT AREA ON SAID BASE DISPOSED IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE, AN INCLINED PLAYING AREA JOINING SAID FIRST FLAT AREA AND SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE CONNECTED TO AN EDGE OF SAID FIRST FLAT AREA AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST AREA, A SECOND GENERALLY FLAT AREA ON SAID BASE, SAID INCLINED AREA BEING BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND AREAS, A PARTITION BETWEEN SAID INCLINED AREA AND SAID SECOND AREA, HOLES IN SAID INCLINED AREA, AND HOLES IN SAID SECOND AREA SPACED FROM EACH OTHER PROVIDING SPACE THERE- 